IGM’s shift will benefit investors

Article Excerpt

Mutual fund fees are under pressure from low-fee ETFs and government regulations. As a result, IGM Financial is expanding its wealth management operations. That will improve its long-term earnings given that wealth management generates higher margins than mutual fund sales. IGM FINANCIAL INC. $32 is a buy. The stock (Toronto symbol IGM; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares o/s: 238.3 million; Market cap: $7.6 billion; P/S ratio: 2.3; Divd. yield: 7.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.igmfinancial.com) lets you tap Canada’s largest independent mutual-fund provider with $173.15 billion in assets under management as of August 31, 2020. Power Corp. owns 62.1% of IGM. The company has two main businesses: Mackenzie Financial sells funds and ETFs through independent brokers; and IG Wealth Management (formerly Investors Group) offers mutual funds and other services, such as portfolio management, through its more than 3,000 affiliated advisors. Mackenzie Financial recently agreed to buy GLC Asset Management Group Ltd. from Great-West Lifeco Inc. (Toronto symbol GWO). It, like IGM, is controlled by Power…